UK is known as a welfare state that offers a variety of benefits to people in need, in compare to many other non-European countries. It is great to support vulnerable people, but at the same time, it is true that there are some people who don’t need help, take advantage from the welfare system. Some people including young people live on benefits for years, though they are completely healthy and capable to work, using numerous welfare benefits possible – free NHS medical service, free or inexpensive Council Housing and Housing Benefit for low income families, Job Seekers Allowance, Child Benefit, Disability Benefit and so on.

Often you can see the stories of those people on the media, such as single mother who have had dozens of children and never worked but live off child benefits and other public financial supports, and young men who have no intention to look for a job because they believe the income from low-paid jobs wouldn’t be much higher than benefits. In order to maintain these welfare system, British pay massive 17.5% VAT (would be 20% next year), and I always wonder if British tax payers wouldn’t get furious at these people.

Today, Prime Minister David Cameron promised a tough stance on benefit fraud, to reduce the budget deficit. Last year 56,493 ‘benefit thieves’ were caught and had to pay back the money they received, according to DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) that launched Targeting Benefit Thieves campaign in 2002 to crackdown on these falsely claiming benefit. Over 50,000 people! No wonder why I have seen TV ads like the video above and campaign posters all over the town.

Cameron’s plan to tackle the problem that cost £1.5bn a year fraud,£460m from child and working tax credits and £1bn from benefits (BBC article), include use of private credit rating firms to go after benefit thieves – hope it works.